Class 8: ‘Worth of A Skill’ Notes, Question and Answers (Book Lavender)

Get her Notes and Q/Ans. based on the chapter story “Worth of a Skill” by Manoj J Thomas. The notes include – summary, word meanings, theme & message, character sketches etc. The solutions to textbook exercises of this lesson are from Class 8 English book “Lavender”. Click here to see video tutorials of Class 8 Book ‘Lavender’.

Notes: Worth of A Skill

Summary: Worth of A Skill

Lawrence is a 13-year-old boy who loves swimming. he is such a poor boy that he does not even has a watch or clock at home. But he is a marvel at sea swimming that he is very fond of also. He has to participate in a swimming competition. He was also getting late and needed to hurry up to reach in time at the newly constructed stadium. He knows that winning a swimming competition could change his life and help him escape poverty. On the day of the competition, he spends too much time in the sea and has to hurry to the stadium. On his way, he hears a woman crying for help because her son is lost in the sea. Even though he knows he might be late for the competition, Lawrence decides to help. He swims out, finds the boy, and brings him safely back to shore.

Because he helped the boy, Lawrence arrives at the stadium too late for the race. He feels sad and disappointed, thinking he has lost his chance. But the next day, a man from the sports committee comes to his house and tells him they are giving him another chance because they heard about his bravery. Lawrence swims again and does so well that he qualifies for the district team.

Later, Lawrence is honoured with a prize for his bravery, and he also receives a scholarship to improve his swimming skills. When asked why he chose to save the boy instead of rushing to the competition, Lawrence says that being a good swimmer wouldn’t matter if he couldn’t use his skills to save a life. Everyone is very impressed by his words, and they applaud him.

Word Meanings:

1. Break – An important opportunity that can change one’s life.
2. Represent – To act or speak on behalf of someone or something.
3. Poverty – The state of being extremely poor.
4. Prowess – Exceptional skill or ability.
5. Legendary – Very famous or well-known for a particular skill.
6. Scholarship – A grant or payment made to support a student’s education, awarded on the basis of academic or other achievement.
7. Challengers – People who compete against someone in a contest.
8. Focusing – Concentrating attention or effort on a particular task.
9. Developed – Having advanced or become more elaborate or complex.
10. Breeze – A gentle wind.
11. Curse – To express regret or frustration.
12. Pebbles – Small, smooth stones found on beaches.
13. Frantically – In a hurried, excited, or disorganized way due to worry or fear.
14. Indecision – The inability to make a decision quickly.
15. Inconsolably – Unable to be comforted due to extreme sadness.
16. Exhausted – Extremely tired and worn out.
17. Exertion – Physical or mental effort.
18. Discipline – The ability to control oneself and follow rules.
19. Unmoved – Not affected or influenced by feelings or requests.
20. Dejected – Sad and disappointed.
21. Sensing – Becoming aware of something.
22. Mend – To repair something that is broken or damaged.
23. Beyond – More than or outside of what is expected or possible.
24. Wildest expectations – The most hopeful or ambitious dreams.
25. Qualify – To meet the requirements or standards for something.
26. Selection committee – A group of people responsible for choosing participants in an event or competition.
27. Disappointment – A feeling of sadness when something doesn’t happen as expected.
28. Stranger – A person whom one does not know.
29. Immediately – Without delay, right away.
30. Introduce – To present oneself or someone else to others for the first time.
31. Stretch – The distance or length of something.
32. Timed – Measured how long something takes.
33. Qualified – Successfully met the requirements to participate.
34. Good fortune – Good luck; favourable circumstances.
35. Administration – A group of people who manage and organize activities, often in government.
36. Scholarship – A grant or financial aid given to a student to help with education.
37. Bravery – Courageous behavior or actions.
38. Honoured – Recognized or rewarded for a significant achievement.
39. Reputation – The beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something.
40. Rapturous applause – Enthusiastic and overwhelming clapping from an audience.

Theme of the Story: Worth of A Skill:

The theme of the story revolves around selflessness, the value of doing what is right, and the true meaning of success. It emphasizes that helping others and making morally correct choices are more important than personal achievements or recognition. The story also highlights the idea that true courage and character are shown not in moments of glory, but in moments of self-sacrifice and integrity.

Moral of The Story Worth of A Skill’

The moral of the story is that helping others and doing the right thing is more important than personal success.

Character Sketch of Lawrence:

Lawrence is a 13-year-old boy who exemplifies bravery, selflessness, and strong moral character. Despite living in poverty and lacking formal education, he is determined and passionate about his exceptional swimming abilities. Lawrence dreams of using his talent to change his life, showing his ambition and dedication to improving his circumstances.

One of Lawrence’s most admirable traits is his kindness. When he encounters a mother in distress because her son is lost at sea, Lawrence immediately prioritizes the boy’s safety over his own ambitions, demonstrating his selflessness and compassion. This moment of decision reveals his courage—he understands the potential consequences of being late for the competition, but he chooses to do what is right, highlighting his integrity.

Lawrence’s humility is also evident. After being given a second chance to compete, he performs exceptionally well without any arrogance. He remains grounded and grateful for the opportunity, reflecting his modesty. His wisdom is further emphasized when he explains that his swimming talent would be meaningless if he couldn’t use it to save a life, showing his deep sense of responsibility.

In summary, Lawrence is a character who embodies courage, compassion, integrity, and humility. His actions demonstrate that true success lies in helping others and making morally sound decisions, making him an inspiring and admirable figure.

Learning Outcomes of “Worth of A Skill”

1. Understanding Moral Choices: Students will learn the importance of making ethical decisions, even when it means sacrificing personal gains.
2. Empathy and Compassion: Students will recognize the value of helping others and putting the needs of others before their own ambitions.
3. Resilience and Perseverance: Students will understand how to handle disappointment and setbacks, and the importance of moving forward with determination.
4. Humility and Gratitude: Students will appreciate the importance of remaining humble and grateful, even when achieving success.
5. Courage in Action: Students will learn that true bravery involves doing what is right, even in difficult situations, and that actions speak louder than words.
6. The True Meaning of Success: Students will reflect on the idea that success is not just about personal achievements, but also about using one’s skills and talents to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Textbook Question & Answers

Time to answer

A. Choose the correct answer.

Q.1. Which of these lines tell you that Lawrence was fond of swimming?

I. ‘If I could not swim to save the life of a young boy, my reputation as the fastest 100-metre swimmer in the district would be meaningless.
II. But he loved the sea too much; it was not possible for him to come out of the sea very easily.
III. He had the rare gift of swimming fast as well as swimming over long distances.
IV. Lawrence allowed the waves to lift him up and carry him towards the shore.
I and II
II and III
III and IV
II and IV

Ans. II and III

Q.2. Why did Lawrence consider the chance to represent his district in swimming to be the biggest break in his life?

• because that would be a way out from his present state of poverty
• because that would mean he would never have to go to school ever
• because then he could go swimming over long distances
• because then he could buy a watch and a pair of shoes for himself

Ans. because that would be a way out from his present state of poverty

Q.3. Which proverb can sum up the theme of the story?

• Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
• Fortune favours the brave.
• Your life is not measured by what you have done, but by what you’ve done for others.
• Helping hands work together to accomplish great things.

Ans. Your life is not measured by what you have done, but by what you’ve done for others. (Explanation: true success and value in life come from helping others and making morally correct decisions, rather than just achieving personal goals.)

B. Answer these questions.

1. Point out instances from the story that tell us that Lawrence belonged to a poor family.
2. How could winning the 100-m swimming competition give Lawrence a better life?
3. Why was the woman at the beach waving her hands frantically?
4. What disappointing news awaited Lawrence at the stadium?
5. How was Lawrence rewarded for his good deed?

Answers:

1. Point out instances from the story that tell us that Lawrence belonged to a poor family.
   • Ans. Lawrence hadn’t been to school and felt he was too old to start, even though he was only thirteen. He also didn’t have a watch to know the time and had to consider the possibility of a government job as a way out of poverty. These details indicate that Lawrence came from a poor family.
2. How could winning the 100-metre swimming competition give Lawrence a better life?
   • Ans. Winning the 100-metre swimming competition could have allowed Lawrence to attend special sports schools run by the government, earn a scholarship, and possibly secure a government job in the future. This would have provided him with opportunities to escape his poverty and improve his life.
3. Why was the woman at the beach waving her hands frantically?
   • Ans. The woman at the beach was waving her hands frantically because her son was lost at sea, and she was desperate for someone to help save him.
4. What disappointing news awaited Lawrence at the stadium?
   • Ans. When Lawrence reached the stadium, he found out that the 100-metre swimming race had already finished. He was too late to participate, and the official told him he would have to wait another year to try for the team trials, which was very disappointing for him.
5. How was Lawrence rewarded for his good deed?
   • Ans. Lawrence was rewarded in several ways for his good deed. He was given another chance to qualify for the district swimming team after the committee learned about his bravery. He also received a scholarship to improve his swimming skills and was honored with a prize for his courage.

Short Answers:

1. Lawrence hadn’t been to school, didn’t have a watch, and saw the competition as a way out of poverty.
2. Winning could lead to a scholarship, special training, and a future government job, helping him escape poverty.
3. She was desperate for help because her son was lost at sea.
4. Lawrence was too late; the 100-metre race had already finished.
5. He was given another chance to qualify, awarded a scholarship, and honoured for his bravery.

Reference to the context

Read these lines from the story and answer the questions that follow.

Q.1. For a moment, Lawrence balanced his options.

a. Where was Lawrence at this point in the story?
i. at the stadium
ii. at the beach
iii. in the sea
iv. at the pool

Ans: ii. at the beach

b. What were the options that he had?

Ans: Lawrence had to choose between hurrying to the stadium for the swimming competition or helping a woman whose son was lost at sea.

c. What did he choose to do and why?

Ans: Lawrence chose to help the woman and save her son because he felt it was more important to use his swimming skills to save a life than to compete in the race.

d. Choose the sentence in which ‘balance’ has a similar meaning as above.
i. She lost her balance and fell.
ii. He weighed the tomatoes on a balance.
iii. The company’s success is reflected in its healthy bank balance.
iv. I struggle to balance work and family commitments.

Ans: iv. I struggle to balance work and family commitments.

Q.2. ‘I am from the sports selection committee,’ continued the stranger. ‘We have decided to give you another chance to try and qualify for the district swimming team.’

a. Who was getting another chance?

Ans: Lawrence

b. Why was the person being given another chance?

Ans: Lawrence was given another chance because the committee learned that he was late to the competition due to saving a boy from drowning.

c. Do you think it was right to give the person another chance? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans: Yes, it was right because Lawrence’s lateness was due to a noble and brave act, which showed his good character and deserving nature.

d. If you were the person who was being given another chance, how would you have felt?

Ans: I would have felt grateful and relieved, recognizing the opportunity to prove myself again after doing the right thing.

Time to study language

Q. Transform these sentences as directed.

1. Search his pocket and you will find the watch. (Change to simple sentence.)
2. He worked hard so that he might win the prize. (Change to compound sentence.)
3. He put on his hat and went out. (Change to simple sentence.)
4. She was too poor to educate her children. (Change to compound sentence.)
5. One being challenged they ran away. (Change to compound sentence.)
6. John admitted his guilt. (Change to complex sentence.) 7. I have informed him of his success. (Change to complex sentence.)
7. Give me the book and I will read it. (Change to complex sentence.)
8. Take quinine, and your fever will be cured. (Change to simple sentence.)
9. Although I tell him to be quiet, he takes no notice if it. (Change to compound sentence.)

Answers: Here are the transformations as requested:

1. Search his pocket and you will find the watch.
   • Simple sentence: By searching his pocket, you will find the watch.
2. He worked hard so that he might win the prize.
   • Compound sentence: He worked hard, and he might win the prize.
3. He put on his hat and went out.
   • Simple sentence: Putting on his hat, he went out.
4. She was too poor to educate her children.
   • Compound sentence: She was poor, and she could not educate her children.
5. On being challenged, they ran away.
   • Compound sentence: They were challenged, and they ran away.
6. John admitted his guilt.
   • Complex sentence: John admitted that he was guilty.
7. I have informed him of his success.
   • Complex sentence: I have informed him that he has succeeded.
8. Give me the book and I will read it.
   • Complex sentence: If you give me the book, I will read it.
9. Take quinine, and your fever will be cured.
   • Simple sentence: Taking quinine will cure your fever.
10. Although I tell him to be quiet, he takes no notice of it.
    • Compound sentence: I tell him to be quiet, but he takes no notice of it.

See also: Following answers are also correct

1. Search his pocket to find the watch.
2. No change required – as it is already a compound sentence.
3. He put on his coat to go out.
4. She could not educate her children for she was poor.
5. They were challenged but they ran away.
6. John admitted that he was guilty.
7. I informed him that he had been successful.
8. Give me the book so that I can read it.
9. Take quinine to cure your fever.
10. I told him to be quiet but he took no notice.

Time to learn new words

Q. Find these words in the word grid. Words can appear in the grid horizontally, vertically or diagonally, running backwards or forwards. See full question in the book)

Answer: The grid solution is given below.

Study Skill

Q. Find the word stress in these words. You can consult a good dictionary to check your answers. (See full question in the book)

Ans. 1. be/lieve 2. wild/est 3. ex/pec/ta/tions 4. swim/ming 5. ur/gent 6. ef/fort 7. au/di/ence 8. de/ject/ed

Time to speak

Q. (See the full question in the book) Here are two boxes. Box A has a set of questions, but each question has jumbled words. Box B has the answers.
Now, get into pairs. One of you can be the interviewer and the other can be a interviewee. The interviewer has to pick a question from Box A, unjumble the words and ask the question. The interviewee has to find an appropriate answer from Box B and answer.

Answer: Attempt yourself. Here we are giving a sample answer:

Here’s how the questions from Box A can be unjumbled and matched with the appropriate answers from Box B:

Box A (Unjumbled Questions):

1. Hello, Lawrence, how do you do?
   • Answer: Hello, Raghu!
2. Can you tell me about a typical day in your life?
   • Answer: Well. I get up at 4 a.m. every day. I go to the pool at 5 and swim for about two hours. I come back at 7. I take a shower, get dressed, have my breakfast, and leave for school.
3. What time do you get up? What routine do you follow?
   • Answer: At 8:30, I leave for school. I always wanted to go to school. After winning the competition at school, I got a scholarship and got into a school. I am there till 2:30 in the afternoon.
4. Wow. Isn’t that too early?
   • Answer: Yes, it’s quite early but I have to accommodate a lot of things in a day.
5. So, do you have breakfast? What do you have?
   • Answer: I have a big breakfast. I have a bowl of daliya, a big bowl of fruits, two boiled eggs, and a large glass of milk.
6. What do you do after breakfast?
   • Answer: At 8:30, I leave for school. I always wanted to go to school. After winning the competition at school, I got a scholarship and got into a school. I am there till 2:30 in the afternoon.
7. What do you do after classes?
   • Answer: I come back home and have lunch. I have four chapatti, a large bowl of dal, a big serving of vegetables, some salad, and a large glass of lassi. Then, I do my homework and play with my friends for some time.
8. What do you do in the evening?
   • Answer: I have an early dinner, watch some TV, and go to bed by 9 o’clock.
9. Thanks, Lawrence. That seems quite a busy day.
   • Answer: Thanks, Raghu.

Matching Question to Answer:

1. Hello, Lawrence, how do you do?
   • Answer: Hello, Raghu!
2. Can you tell me about a typical day in your life?
   • Answer: Well. I get up at 4 a.m. every day. I go to the pool at 5 and swim for about two hours. I come back at 7. I take a shower, get dressed, have my breakfast, and leave for school.
3. What time do you get up? What routine do you follow?
   • Answer: At 8:30, I leave for school. I always wanted to go to school. After winning the competition at school, I got a scholarship and got into a school. I am there till 2:30 in the afternoon.
4. Wow. Isn’t that too early?
   • Answer: Yes, it’s quite early but I have to accommodate a lot of things in a day.
5. So, do you have breakfast? What do you have?
   • Answer: I have a big breakfast. I have a bowl of daliya, a big bowl of fruits, two boiled eggs, and a large glass of milk.
6. What do you do after breakfast?
   • Answer: At 8:30, I leave for school. I always wanted to go to school. After winning the competition at school, I got a scholarship and got into a school. I am there till 2:30 in the afternoon.
7. What do you do after classes?
   • Answer: I come back home and have lunch. I have four chapatti, a large bowl of dal, a big serving of vegetables, some salad, and a large glass of lassi. Then, I do my homework and play with my friends for some time.
8. What do you do in the evening?
   • Answer: I have an early dinner, watch some TV, and go to bed by 9 o’clock.
9. Thanks, Lawrence. That seems quite a busy day.
   • Answer: Thanks, Raghu.

Time to write

Q. The school wants to appoint a swimming coach to train Lawrence. Draft a similar advertisement as above. (see the full question in the book)

Answer: Attempt yourself but we are giving here a sample classified advertise meant as per the question.

Situation Vacant

Wanted: Swimming Coach

Ajeet Sir Academy, Goa, is seeking an experienced and dedicated swimming coach to train a promising young swimmer, Lawrence, for national-level competitions. Qualification: Certified swimming coach with a minimum of 5 years of experience. Age: 28 to 40 years. Skills: Must have expertise in competitive swimming techniques and be able to develop tailored training programs. Remuneration will be commensurate with experience. Interested candidates, please send your resume to [email protected].